Vizja Home – University for All
The project is implemented under the European Funds for Social Development programme.
Implementation period: 01.01.2025 to 31.12.2028
Target groups: Support will also be provided to teaching and administrative staff of VIZJA University – 272 people, management staff – 32 people and selected representatives of formal student groups, e.g. scientific circles, student government – 60 people in total.
Support will be provided to the university – VIZJA University located at 59 Okopowa Street and its branches.
Project objective: The aim of the project is to create conditions for the full participation of all persons, including persons with disabilities and other persons with special needs, in the life of the university and the academic community, including during recruitment, education, conducting scientific research, participation in cultural and sporting events and employment – on an equal basis with others.
The project involves the implementation of tasks that will result in ensuring the accessibility of the university in eight areas: Organizational Structure, Architectural Accessibility, Information and Communication Accessibility, Digital Accessibility, Technologies, Procedures, Education Support Services, and Disability Awareness Raising Activities.
The project will implement many innovative activities to ensure accessibility of the university. Examples of activities that will be implemented as part of the above project:
– an innovative navigation and communication system will be implemented to facilitate movement (and evacuation) around the university and its branches for people with special needs, in particular the blind;
– the university buildings will be adapted to the needs of blind and visually impaired people by installing vertical and horizontal markings in Braille;
– new solutions will be implemented to increase the accessibility of education for deaf and hard of hearing people – induction loops – stationary and portable – will be installed in lecture halls and at key service stations;
– six silence zones will be created – the so-called Wellbeing Space. These will be publicly accessible places for students, PhD students and university employees (particularly important for neurodiverse people), equipped with comfortable furniture, sofas, armchairs, tables, appropriate lighting and technical solutions ensuring the possibility of quieting down;
– psychological and advisory support will be organized for students, doctoral students and university employees. Individual support will be provided in the form of individual consultations with a psychiatrist, psychologist, coach, career advisor, dietitian or other specialist, in accordance with the reported needs. Group support will be provided in the form of training, workshops and support groups, including groups conducted using art therapy methods;
– sports activities will be organized, adapted to the needs of people with special needs, including people with disabilities. Sports activities will be conducted in the form of individual training and group classes. Classes will be conducted in sports halls equipped with specialist devices and sports equipment adapted to the needs of people with disabilities;
– a foreign language learning classroom will be created, adapted to the needs of people with special needs, including people with disabilities, and foreign language classes will be conducted, adapted to the needs of people with special needs, including people with disabilities;
– awareness activities, trainings, integration events will be conducted. Trainings in the area of accessibility will be organized: e.g. work and communication with people with various types of disabilities, principles of adapting teaching materials, including e.g. constructing content in plain language, principles of creating accessible websites and mobile applications and many others. Numerous awareness and integration events will also be organized, addressed to the entire academic community, such as the Academic Autism Awareness Days;
– “Room of the Senses” will be created, which will be equipped with devices enabling exercises using devices simulating limitations in various senses, e.g. sight, hearing. The room will be equipped with, for example, blackout blindfolds, a set simulating 12 different visual defects, an old age simulator, a wheelchair, canes for the blind and many others;
– Numerous procedures and standards will also be implemented to ensure accessibility in all organizational units of the university.
The result of the project will be:
– implementing solutions to improve the accessibility of VIZJA University for people with disabilities;
– raising the competences of teaching and administrative staff in the field of basic awareness and/or specialist training – 245 people;
– raising the competences of management staff in the field of basic awareness and/or specialist training – 32 people;
– raising competences of representatives of formal student groups in the field of basic awareness and/or specialist training – 54.
The project is implemented under the European Funds for Social Development 2021-2027 program co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus, Priority 3 Accessibility and services for people with disabilities, Measure 03.01 Accessibility of higher education.
Value of eligible project expenses: PLN 8,121,503.86
Value of subsidy: PLN 7,877,858.74
Value of subsidy from European funds: PLN 6,701,864.99